Page 97 of The Renegade Billionaire

Wow. When he shares, he really opens up. I already thought I liked this kid, but now I know I could love him.

“Well Mr. Smarty-pants, that sounds one hundred percent reasonable. Do you want to take classes while you’re here? Happiness U is a great university, and I know some of the professors.”

“I appreciate it, but it’s already November. I wouldn’t be able to start until January, and Uncle Brax only has to be here until the end of March, so I don’t know what we’ll do after that.”

My stomach cramps as I force down my gag reflex. Somehow, I keep forgetting that Braxton is temporary.

“Mm-hmm. I forgot.” My voice cracks the silence louder than a bullfrog in the dead of night. “Have you ever had a job before?”

He traces a shape in the island granite.

“There’s no judgment in that question, Sage. I never had a job until I was older. Not because I was lazy, but because I spent every waking hour playing field hockey so I could get a scholarship to college. That was my job. There are lots of reasons kids don’t have jobs until college or after.”

“I bet you were great at field hockey.”

The compliment is so unexpected, I don’t know how to respond.

“You got that scholarship, right?”

I nod and bite my tongue to keep the tears at bay. I hate myself in this moment. It’s been years. I’m over this.

“Hey, I’m sorry?—”

“No, it’s okay,” I sniffle. “Really. I did get my scholarship. But some stuff happened that caused a real mess my freshman year, so the university I was attending asked me to leave the team, without my scholarship.”

“What?” His indignation on my behalf is charming. “How can they do that?”

“It’s a long story for another time. Now let’s discuss you coming to work with me today.”

“Oh my God. Are you serious? Yes, yes, please, yes.” He clasps his hands together in front of his face, flashing puppy dog eyes he must have learned from Braxton.

His enthusiasm has my tears drying and laughter escaping my lips.

“We have to ask your uncles first.”

“Ugh. Then let’s go to Brax first. I love them both, but Uncle Grey can be a real hard-ass.”

“It’s because he loves you,” Braxton says with sleep still in his sexy voice.

We both turn toward Braxton, standing in the doorway. His hair’s a mess, and his sleep pants hang low on his hips. When heruns a hand down his chest to scratch his belly, I feel my internal body temperature skyrocket.

He doesn’t usually walk around shirtless, and try as I might, I can’t look away. The man is all lean muscle that pulls taut as he stretches over his head, causing his pants to slip just the tiniest bit more.

That’s too much to handle, so I focus on making some coffee.

“What are you doing up?” I ask without facing him.

“I was hungry, and I heard you close your door. I was afraid you were trying to sneak out early again today.” His words shift my hair, and I nearly jump out of my skin when he presses that naked chest into my back, reaches over me and pulls down the coffee mug he uses every day.

It has a picture of twelve-year-old me on it with a chipped tooth I got in a field hockey game.

Peering over my shoulder, I study him as he scans the mug, and when he lifts his gaze to mine, I return to my duty. What was I doing? Coffee, right.

“Um, would it be okay if Sage came to work with me today at the Chug? He’s kind of bored, and I thought it might be good for him to meet some folks.”

He lifts a chunk of my hair and pulls it back over my shoulder before leaning in, apparently not at all embarrassed to be this close to me in front of his nephew.

“I think that sounds like a great idea.”